Nearly all corsets feature back lacing...

and during the early part of the 19th century manufacturing improvements, in particular the use of metal eyelets, allowed it to produce the degree of tightness desired for obtaining fashionable shapes. The maximum tightness was primarily limited by the sturdiness of the corset construction, but the advent of the sewing machine and use of steel stays and busks, allowed corsets to become better fitting and stronger, improving shaping ability and comfort. Physicians studied the effects of tightlacing and measured that casual corset wearers accepted twenty to thirty five pounds of total force on the area between the bust and hips, but fashionable belles laced tighter and accepted eighty pounds or more of force on their waist and ribcage. However, when measured again after an hour, this pressure had dropped significantly, demonstrating adaptation of the body. The corset pressure however even in the tightest corset is still far below any normal physiological effects that take place in the body, thus explaining why no damage is done by tightlacing. Regardless of the adaptation, getting comfortable with the higher levels of constriction and support requires acclimatization,  and it may be desirable to practice night-and-day time corseting. The 23 hour / 7 days a week practice is again adopted by modern tightlacers who aim at very small waists. For one hour a day the corset is removed for bathing and exercise to avoid muscle atrophy.

The advantage of back lacing is that it usually takes less effort for a given reduction compared to front-lacing. If only modest lacing is needed, front lacing is sufficient  The exception being long term tightlacers, who's midsections have become very pliable, allowing them to lace down small enough, even in front laced corsets. The advantage of the front lacer is that it requires less dexterity and usually can be tightened without assistance.

For extreme lacing, a lacing bar can be used, which is a horizontal bar suspended from the ceiling like a trapeze bar to which the trainee pulls herself up while being laced by a helper. The stretching of the body narrows the region between the bust and hips and greatly eases the tightening process, but other methods can achieve the same, such as kneeling in front of the bed, arms forward and face down on the bed, with the body horizontal, such that a helper can pull the laces much closer because the upper body remains relaxed.

But.. if you don't want or have someone else to lace you up, the "doorknob" method works very well and is well suited for solo tightlacing, just take your time. For a 4" reduction, two runs over about 10 minutes will be more than sufficient and comfortable. Although the resistance it will vary from person to person, and how long they have trained, it's the last half inch that takes all the time! If you decide to lace to your limit, then when discomfort begins you should back it off by half an inch and you'll find that comfort will return. Lace it so that you're still ok after two hours!